C♯add9
C♯add9 is the c# added 9th chord, spelled C♯ – E♯ – G♯ – D♯. a plain triad plus the ninth — colour without the seventh, clean and contemporary.
The keys
C♯ – E♯ – G♯ – D♯
Practise this chord
Plug in your MIDI keyboard and let Coach Tshepho drill you on C♯add9 — it plays the chord, names any wrong notes as you play, and moves you on when you nail it.
Create your free account →What's inside C♯add9
| Note | Interval from root | Degree |
|---|---|---|
| C♯ | Root | 1 |
| E♯ | Major 3rd | 3 |
| G♯ | Perfect 5th | 5 |
| D♯ | Major 9th | 9 |
Inversions
| Position | Keys (low → high) |
|---|---|
| Root position | D♭4 – F4 – A♭4 – E♭5 |
| 1st inversion | F4 – A♭4 – E♭5 – D♭5 |
| 2nd inversion | A♭4 – E♭5 – D♭5 – F5 |
| 3rd inversion | E♭5 – D♭5 – F5 – A♭5 |
A working voicing
Split the chord between two hands the way working players do — a solid shell low down, the colour tones up top:
| Hand | Keys |
|---|---|
| Left (shell) | D♭2 – A♭2 |
| Right (colour) | F4 – E♭5 |
Where C♯add9 lives
As the I chord
C♯add9 → G♭ → A♭ → C♯add9
The classic I–IV–V–I motion with this chord as home.
In a ii–V–I
E♭m7 → A♭7 → C♯add9
The strongest cadence in harmony, resolving onto this chord.
Put C♯add9 under your fingers
Hear every voicing, see the keys light up, and drill it in the interactive Chord & Voicing Lab.
Open the Chord & Voicing Lab →More C# chords
C♯
C♯m
C♯dim
C♯aug
C♯sus2
C♯sus4
C♯6
C♯m6
C♯7
C♯maj7
C♯m7
C♯m7♭5
C♯dim7
C♯m(maj7)
C♯9
C♯maj9
C♯m9
C♯6/9
C♯m11
C♯13
C♯7♭9
C♯7♯9
C♯7♯5Play it over a groove
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